


Enemies and Lovers

by thegoatz



Category: World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Angst, Heel!Daniel, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Injury Recovery, M/M, Moral Ambiguity, Nicknames, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teambuilding, Tweener!Miz, and. yes mayhaps i did quote hannibal, they're just evil bastards tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-09-29
Packaged: 2020-06-24 07:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,417
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19718593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegoatz/pseuds/thegoatz
Summary: Mike strides off after that, and despite what Mike just said, Daniel can't help but smile.He was looking very forward to seeing what Mike's next move is.





	1. Facade

It didn't take much for Daniel to fall off the edge, one, soft, gentle gush of wind and he was falling, falling, falling.

Falling into a darkness that he couldn't climb up out of. That one little gush of wind being none other than The Miz. He did have to thank Mike though, for the older man had opened his eyes in a way that no-one ever has before. Daniel actually kind of regrets that it's The Miz, who helped him discover just how good it felt to not care anymore, he hates the fact that he has to give him credit in that respect. He had spent so much time worrying about what other people thought of him, and now he was happy, he knew that they hated him, but he just didn't care anymore; they just weren't worth his time. Daniel would be the king. He would finally be free.

It felt like liberation.

Of all people, Daniel expected that Mike would be the happiest about Daniel's 'conversion', but apparently Mike did not... enjoy the "New" Daniel Bryan.

But, to be fair, Daniel can't really blame him.

And Daniel is perfectly okay with Mike joining all those people who despise him because at this point the list is too long to remember, but what Daniel is not okay with is Mike trying his hardest to be a pest, a thorn in Daniel's side.

Because at this point, that's all that Mike is: a bother.

An annoying, little, itch that won't just go away.

Mike is persistent, and Daniel has to give credit where credit is due, that he is trying so hard.

But Daniel doesn't really know why.

Mike tries to speak with him, over and over and over, and it is driving Daniel up the wall. Daniel didn't listen the first time Mike opened his mouth, but by the fifth time, Daniel just walked away, rolling his eyes and letting out a deep sigh.

If Mike thinks that if he talks to Daniel then he'll somehow magically love everyone again, then he's got another thing coming because Daniel hasn't felt this alive in years. Daniel can see it Mike's eyes whenever he looks at him: anger, sadness, disappointment laced in with the tiniest hint of guilt. And yet, seeing all those emotions in Mike's eyes, makes him feel something. Something that he doesn't like.

With everyone else, Daniel doesn't care, but with Mike, it's a whole different story.

With Mike, he cares a whole lot more than he'd ever want, more than he'd ever want to admit.

But, even though Daniel cares about Mike in some way that confuses even Daniel himself, that doesn't stop how annoying Daniel finds him.

Daniel was in a good mood when Mike came up to him and thinking back at it now, things would have gone completely different if that small, insignificant, thing as how he felt was changed. So it's a good thing that Mike talked to him when he did. Although, Mike seemed more incessant at that time. It had started off as the usual thing: Mike asking Daniel why he did what he did, and Daniel had half a mind to just walk away like he usually did, but for some, thankful, reason, he didn't, and Daniel asked him, one, simple question.

"Why do you care?"

For such an easy question, you would have thought that Mike would have answered instantly, but no, he didn't. No, Mike looked more confused than Daniel felt, his brows were furrowed, his nose scrunched, and a frown on his face.

"I care because this _isn't_ you."

Daniel huffs out a laugh at Mike's tone, although it struck him somewhat hard. Mike was ostentatious, he was loud and proud, a true narcissist, but now... now he was none of these things, and Daniel doesn't know whether or not he likes that. Of course he'd never mention his reluctance regarding Mike, but still, Daniel didn't like how Mike had that effect on him.

"How would you know who I was?"

"Because I've known you for over eight years, Daniel! Did you forget everything I'll remember? Did you forget that it was me who helped you in NXT? Did you forget that it was _me_ who carried you on my back ever since then? Did you forget that I know you better than you know yourself?" Mike said, his voice loud and hard.

Daniel gives Mike a smile, _ah_ , there was the true Mike again. "Were you just trying to trick me with that whole nice guy façade then? Oh, I am _heartbroken_ ," Daniel says, sarcasm laced in his voice like poison, "What was the plan, Mikey?" Daniel takes a step closer to Mike, smirking when Mike takes one back," Were you just going to trick me into fooling for your nice guy act? What were you going to do after that, huh?"

Mike's back thuds against a wall, and Daniel continues to walk forwards until they're closer than Mike would like them to be. Daniel tilts his head up, and Mike looks down into Daniel's icy blue eyes. Daniel's face is hard, but then he suddenly breaks out into a blinding grin. He takes a step back, and Mike furrows his brows in confusion.

"You see, Mike, that wasn't a nice thing that you did just then. No, that was cruel, and mean, you shouldn't try and manipulate me like that. That would just make me angry," Daniel said, his voice turning into a slight growl before changing back into its normal tone, "but... I like you, Mike, probably against my better judgement."

"You like me?"

"Well, you could be useful," Daniel replies, "and I know you better than any other person out there."

"What are you trying to say?"

Mike looks so confused that Daniel has to try his hardest to not laugh at him.

"What I'm trying to say is that you and me-" Daniel continued, gesturing between the both of them, "-we could be something great. And as much as you annoy me, we could be the greatest team ever heard of."

"You think we should be a team?" Mike says incredulously.

"Would you _rather_ be my enemy?"

Mike doesn't reply, and Daniel continues with a smirk, "I would be willing to team with you, but..." And Daniel takes another step closer to Mike, and almost smiles with glee when he sees Mike's shoulders hunch up, "if you think about trying to manipulate me again, I'll make sure you regret it."

Mike smiles after that, and Daniel's caught off guard. Mike pushes off against the wall and now they're face to face, and Daniel suddenly doesn't feel as in control as he did before.

"If you want to be a team, fine. And if you want to threaten me with a good time then I'll just say one thing: I look forward to it, Daniel."

Mike strides off after that, and despite what Mike just said, Daniel can't help but smile.

He was looking very forward to seeing what Mike's next move is.


	2. Alive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daniel huffs out a laugh, almost forgetting to be angry, because right there, right now, he only feels one thing.
> 
> He feels alive.

It turns out that Mike didn't have a ' _next move_ ', or maybe he did and Daniel just hadn't figured it out, but Mike, despite the unwavering tension between the two of them, Mike radiated an aura of confidence.

Daniel couldn't deny the fact that Mike's belief in himself was infectious, to say the least.

Maybe it was just Daniel wanting to prove himself to Mike that made Daniel feel so intrepid, even though he's convinced himself multiple times that he already has, Mike's incredulity in that was more than enough to get Daniel agitated. Maybe it was something else, but with Mike stood next to him, he was more ready than ever.

"You ready?" Daniel asks, turning his head and raising an eyebrow, a grin that struggled to conceal Daniel's ego, and once, someone might be surprised that Daniel Bryan would be so vain, and deep, _deep_ , down, Mike was. Of course, he'd never let it show while Daniel was still there, no, instead he gave Daniel an equally smug smile.

"Of course I am, are you?"

" _Obviously_ ," Daniel said haughtily, ignoring the slight chuckle from Mike. That same teasing chuckle that Daniel has heard so many times.

"Just making sure, don't want you to get nervous."

Daniel scoffed, but said nothing, opting to roll his shoulders once, clicking his neck with a satisfying _crack_.

"Mike?" Daniel says, not bothering to turn his head to look at the other man, instead just steeling his gaze straight ahead.

Mike, however, looks at him, and Daniel can feel his eyes peering into the side of his head. Daniel tries his hardest not to smirk.

"Just make sure that you don't hold me back."

Now it was Mike's turn to scoff, letting out a hollow laugh that held no joy in it, "I don't think that _I'm_ going to be the one holding the other back, _short-stack_."

Mike walks after that, forward towards the entrance, and as much as Daniel would like to retort, he has no time, and he wouldn't like to jeopardise his whole plan just because he wanted to get in the last word. And besides, there'd be plenty of time for that later.

But still, that didn't stop the anger that boiled inside of him, and even though Daniel has reminded himself, time and time again, that he had already proved himself to Mike, that he doesn't need to waste his time doing something that he's already done multiple times before, he still knows that that familiar feeling that itches and scratches deep down inside him will come back. It's a feeling that Daniel hates because the itch to prove himself to Mike just won't go away.

If Mike ever found out, well, then Daniel would never live it down.

He just wouldn't, _couldn't_ , let Mike win in their own personal game of one-upmanship. At this point, it was more than a little game, it was personal, and one day Daniel will take Mike's crown, and he'll make it his, and whilst Mike sulks his days away, he'll have to numb himself and think of Daniel: Mike will have to think of the one person who beat him, and when that day comes, Daniel will rejoice.

But until then, Daniel will continue to play Mike's little game.

Because, it is a game, and Daniel would be damned if he was going to let him win.

Daniel catches up to Mike, and they're both preparing to go out, and destroy all those who oppose them, and Mike gives him a sly smirk, and Daniel lets something dark show in his eyes, he was too caught off guard to hide it, and by the time that Daniel's mask is back in place, Mike's smirk is only increased. Mike knows now, and whilst Daniel realises that that's a bad thing; that letting Mike get inside his head is a mistake that shouldn't have happened, he can't help the way that his heart rate increases in speed, because Mike may just be the only person who could ever beat him.

There's just something about the danger, that draws Daniel in.

Mike gives him a challenge, Mike makes him feel alive, and from the look on Mike's face, that feeling is reciprocated.

If there is one thing that Daniel has learned, it's that people are capable of doing horrible things to each other, people are fickle, and while Daniel associated Mike to be with those despicable people, people that he hated so unbelievably much, it's a little... different with him. It might be their long history together, but with Mike, Daniel thinks a little more highly of him then he does of all those scum. He still hates him, of course, but just slightly less than he hates everyone else.

They were two different people, with vastly different opinions, but at the end of the day, they both had the same will, the same drive, to succeed: to be the best of the best, and that... that is something that they won't stop until they achieve it.

Daniel takes one deep breath in and looks at Mike who looks as excited as he's ever been, and even though Mike's face hides it; a façade that he's perfected so much through the years, Daniel can see the eagerness in his eyes, and Daniel can't help but feel it too.

This is what Daniel lives for: the rush of adrenalin, the racing of his heart as he prepares to shock the world. He can feel his stomach churn, but the feeling is almost pleasant, it reminds him that he can feel.

As the seconds count down, Daniel's heart thrums and the sickest of smiles makes its way to Daniel's face.

It's almost time and Daniel feels invincible like nothing can truly go wrong, he feels that he and Mike could rule the world.

Mike turns his head towards him, and for the first time, Daniel looks back at him. Mike gives him a singular curt nod and turns his head back to the entrance, Daniel following suit.

"C'mon short-stack, it's showtime."

Daniel huffs out a laugh, almost forgetting to be angry, because right there, right now, he only feels one thing.

He feels alive.


	3. Pain

As they both walk out, their gazes hardened, only showing the need to succeed that courses through the veins, Daniel can hear the gasps and surprised noises of the crowd, and it's like he can hear the confusion inside their tiny, little, minds, but Daniel doesn't expect them to understand. Daniel needs to be on top, he has to be, and the need to reign over everyone is so strong that Daniel can put away his little... disagreement with Mike, _well_ , for the moment that is.

Especially when there's something much more important that needs all his focus.

Mike is next to him, Daniel can feel his presence as if it was being screamed at him, it's strangely comforting in a way that Daniel dislikes greatly. Their opponents in-ring are looking just as confused as all the dimwits in the crowd and for a second, Daniel pities them, they should feel lucky: it's not often that Daniel is kind enough to do that. Although it won't make much of a difference when he's beating their heads against the ring mat.

No matter how big a man may be, they're all the same size when they're on the floor, their skull beneath his boot.

He couldn't make a single mistake, he had to be perfect, he had to prove to the world that he shouldn't be messed with, but there's just something niggling in the back of his mind.

 _Are you sure you don't have to prove yourself to Mike_ , it says to him, and Daniel's fists clench at his sides. He can feel the anger, the hatred pooling in his stomach, the heat slowly spreading throughout him.

He hates the feeling, the feeling that doesn't feel right, it doesn't feel like him, but at the same time, it does. It feels so foreign but so familiar, it twists and turns inside of him, travelling up his spine making him feel uncomfortable in his skin.

Daniel shifts his weight restlessly, hoping that it'll rid him of the feeling that's washed over him. In the corner of his eye, Mike starts to move down the ramp. Daniel follows. Mike spares him a quick glance, and Daniel can see something in his eye, a glint that's silently asking him, are you ready?

Daniel rolls his shoulders and unclenches his fists. A smile forms on Daniel's face and walks forward, knowing that Mike understands. As he walks to the ring Daniel feels the adrenalin coursing through his veins and his heart races wildly, just waiting to jump out of his chest. He just can't wait to shock the world.

  
Daniel and Mike do their thing, they wreak havoc upon their rivals, delivering blow, after blow, after blow. It's devastating, and yet exhilarating. But, something happens.

It was a stupid mistake: foolish, asinine, it shouldn't have happened, Daniel needed to be perfect, and he messed up.

He shouldn't have allowed himself to get injured. He should have paid more attention, but he got distracted. They both attacked a different person, and Daniel took his eyes off his opponent to look at Mike and that's when it all went wrong. It was just a glance but upon seeing Mike, he struggled to look away as Mike, in all his anger, was simply enchanting. His piercing blue eyes so focused, filled with so much enmity, so much passion. Mike allowed himself to be free, to let all his anger out.

It was beautiful.

But that's when it happened, Daniel was so entranced with Mike's rage that he didn't see his opponent standing up, delivering one devastating shot right to his knee. Daniel let out a loud yell and Mike's attention turned straight to them; Daniel could see the fury burning in his eyes, like a wildfire destroying everything in its path. Daniel tries to drag himself towards Mike and is met with another strike to the same place, and Daniel's pained yelp is just as loud. Mike delivers one, last, hard kick to his opponent's chest before quickly striding over to them.

Daniel has never seen someone decimate another being in such a merciless fashion before, and Daniel couldn't help but feel slightly surprised by Mike's anger. He used the ropes to pick himself back up, leaning against the turnbuckle. He clambered out of the ring, knowing that Mike could handle himself just fine. His leg throbbed painfully and he was unsteady on his feet, but the adrenalin helped him stay upright, and soon enough Mike was by his side as they walked back up the ramp; the both of them not completely satisfied with the punishment that they inflicted, but knowing that they had to back off, well for the moment at least.

It wasn't until they were backstage, and the adrenalin had finally worn off that Daniel realised the true extent of his injury: he could barely put any weight on his right leg otherwise it would buckle out from under him whilst throbbing painfully. He leant against a wall, trying to steady his breathing, in through the nose and out through the mouth, although he couldn't help the way that his teeth were gritted tightly.

He didn't tell Mike of course; he didn't want to seem weak in a time when he was meant to be strong, but the ache in his leg was getting harder and harder to ignore. He leans back against a wall, trying to take some of the pressure off of his leg. Mike seemed pretty pent up still, he could tell from the way that he seemed to tense, pacing around, trying to get rid of all the anger left over. So much so that it took him a long while of ranting and pacing before he realised how much pain Daniel was in.

But when he eventually did figure out he rushed over to Daniel's side, uttering an apology that Daniel didn't think he could say. Comforting hands find themselves on Daniel's arms, helping Daniel lean all of his weight on him.

"Are you ok?" Mike asks, sounding more concerned than he has any right to be.

"Why do you care?"

"Hey, if I'm going to beat all those losers out there I need you because there's no way in hell that I'm going to be able to do it by myself. I don't care, Daniel, if I could replace you, I would have but, quite frankly, there's no-one out there that I trust enough to have my back."

Daniel's smirk makes Mike's stomach twist and turn, and Mike immediately regrets what he said, "so what you're saying is that you trust me."

"I trust you more than I trust anyone else, but that doesn't mean much."

"And what you're also saying is that you need me."

Mike scoffs at that, "I don't need you, there are plenty of other people who could help me but that would take up too much time."

Daniel huffs out a laugh at that, and there's something in the laugh, something that doesn't quite sound like Daniel, but Daniel speaks before Mike can work out what it was.

"Just face it, Mike, you do need me: you are incapable of surviving without me."

"Incapable of surviving? Daniel, you wouldn't be here if I wasn't for me. Now shut the hell up before you hurt yourself even more."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Miz?"

"Oh come on, Daniel, let's face it, I made your career, I carried it on my back, or did you forget that?"

Anger flashes in Daniel's eyes, his brows furrowing and his jaw clenching, and Mike is hesitant to admit that he wishes he never said what he said.

"You made my career?" Daniel says incredulously, pushing Mike away from him with a hard shove.

Which was an extremely bad idea, as his leg buckled out from under him, causing him to fall down. Mike lurched towards Daniel, only just catching him before he hit the ground. Daniel let out a loud yelp of pain and suddenly all the anger is gone from his body, replaced with niggling worry. Mike quickly helps him to stand up, putting all of Daniel's weight on him as he brought Daniel to a chair nearby.

Daniel practically collapsed onto the chair, wincing harshly.

"Don't touch me," Daniel seethes through the pain, and Mike ignores his words, keeping Daniel steady when he teeters too close to falling off of the chair.

"Calm down."

"Don't tell me to calm down, th-."

"Daniel, shut up!" Mike says, and there's something in Mike's voice that makes Daniel listen, "look, Daniel, you're hurt, you need to take it easy."

"Take it easy? We- we need to go back out there and make them pay: make them sorry," Daniel ranted as he waved his hands around, gesturing madly.

"Hey, slow it down short-stack, you're still hurt we can't hurt anyone whilst you're still injured, and besides, we've already done enough."

"Done enough?" Daniel said incredulously, "We've already done enough? No, we haven't! They- they need to pay for what they've done to me."

"We've already made them pay, Daniel, doing it again will only get you more hurt."

"I don't care whether or not I get hurt, Miz, can't you see that. I want to go out there and make everyone pay, remember when you said that you wanted that too? Because to me, it seems like you're chickening out. Where exactly did your determination go? Or are you just getting last-minute jitters about the whole thing? Are you in too deep? Do you want to turn back and say sorry, do you want to run into their arms and beg for forgiveness?" Daniel says, his voice patronising, "now you tell me, in this little game that we're playing with them, why are you still trying to go easy on them?"

"Go easy on them? After all I've done to them, after all I've done with you, do you honestly think that I'm trying to be the good guy here?"

Daniel pushes himself up off the chair, trying to hide his wince and sharp intake of breath, Daniel limps towards him, and Mike half expects him to fall down again, but, and Mike has to give him credit for it, he doesn't.

"I don't know, you tell me, Mikey. Are you the good guy? Because to me, it seems like you haven't truly picked a side. So I'm telling you now, pick. Are you with me, fully and completely, or against me? Do you want to be my friend or my enemy?"

Mike seems almost completely unfazed by Daniel's words, or by Daniel's piercing glare at him, calmly replying, "Daniel, I'm on your side, why would I have done all these things with you if I wasn't on your side. Now can we please just not go after them until you've healed up."

Daniel holds his glare for a few more seconds before softening, he was just too tired to keep his mask up, "all right," he says, quietly but just loud enough for Mike to hear. Mike smiles briefly before grabbing Daniel's arm when he starts to sway a bit.

"Now can you please sit down, we don't need you hurt even more."

Daniel grumbles some more but lets Mike worry over him, waiting whilst Mike tends to his knee.

"Mike, can I just ask you one thing?" Daniel says, after a while, hiding his wince when Mike puts an ice pack, that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, and Daniel realises that he's far too tired to concentrate properly, against the swelling of Daniel's knee, his voice is soft, no trace of the anger that was there previously.

"Sure, go ahead," Mike replies, looking up at him with a curious expression.

"Why did you agree to team with me? I- I didn't really expect you to agree in all honesty."

Mike lets out a small laugh at that, a smile that Daniel just can't work out on his face, "Well Daniel, whether or not you would like to admit it, you and I are similar. Every day I feel like you and I are becoming more alike, and I just thought, why do we fight so much? I know I have said some harsh words to you, but the more I think about it the more I realise that I don't mean it, and that all the anger I had for you just... it just didn't make sense, so when you said to us being a team, I knew it was for the best."

"Huh," Daniel says, struggling to find the words, "y-you think that we're alike?"

Mike nods his head, "I do, and I think that we could do great things together, but not until your knee has healed up."

Daniel frowns again at that, "how long do you think that'll take?"

Mike just shrugs his shoulders, "depends on whether or not you make it worse by being an idiot."

Daniel was about to snap back at him but sees the teasing smile on Mike's face. He gives him one in return.

"You'll wait for me though, won't you?"

"Of course."


End file.
